Heavy hydrocarbon streams, such as FCC Light Cycle Oil (“LCO”), Medium Cycle Oil (“MCO”), and Heavy Cycle Oil (“HCO”), have a relatively low value. Typically, such hydrocarbon streams are upgraded through hydroconversion including hydrotreating and/or hydrocracking.
Hydrotreating catalysts are well known in the art. Conventional hydrotreating catalysts comprise at least one Group VIII metal component and/or at least one Group VIB metal component supported on a refractory oxide support. The Group VIII metal component is typically based on a non-noble metal, such as nickel (Ni) and/or cobalt (Co). Group VIB metal components include those based, on molybdenum (Mo) and tungsten (W). The most commonly applied refractory oxide support materials are inorganic oxides such as silica, alumina and silica-alumina. Examples of conventional hydrotreating catalyst are NiMo/alumina, CoMo/alumina and NiW/silica-alumina. In some cases, platinum and/or palladium containing catalysts may be employed.
Hydrotreating catalysts are normally used in processes wherein a hydrocarbon feed is contacted with hydrogen to reduce its content of aromatic compounds, sulfur compounds, and/or nitrogen compounds. Typically, hydrotreating processes wherein reduction of the aromatics content is the main purpose are referred to as hydrogenation or hydrofinishing processes, while processes predominantly focusing on reducing sulfur and/or nitrogen content are referred to as hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation, respectively. Traditionally, the term “hydrotreating” is used to describe hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation while the term “hydrofinishing” is used to describe the hydrogenation of aromatics. The present invention follows this tradition of terminologies. Typically, hydrocracking converts feed to lighter products such as naphtha or gas via cracking and dealkylation as well as to low volumetric energy density components via unselective ring opening. One disadvantage of hydrocracking is that it leads to a higher H2 consumption due to cracking, dealkylation and unselective ring opening. The present invention avoids these disadvantages while producing jet/diesel products which not only meet the requirements of the specifications but also possess high volumetric energy density.
The present invention is directed to a method of upgrading heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks with hydrotreating and hydrofinishing catalysts in one single reactor. The present invention is also directed to a method of upgrading heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks with hydrotreating, hydrofinishing and hydroisomerization catalysts in two reactors. The present invention is also directed to a method of upgrading heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks using hydrotreating, hydrofinishing and hydroisomerization catalysts in one single reactor. Specifically, the method of the present invention is directed to a method of upgrading heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks to either jet and/or diesel products with high volumetric energy density.